Corn popper



May 2, 1950 R. Pf HUMPHREY 2,505,967

CORN POPPER Filed Dec. 27, 194Bv l. llllll :Snmemor Ham/@bray Ctornegs.

Patented May 2, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CORN POPPER Ralph P. Humphrey, Liberty, Mo. Application December 27, 1948, Serial No. 67,407

7 Claims. l This invention relates to corn popping devices and is an improvement on the construction disclosed and claimed in my oopending application, Serial No. 729,095, filed February 17, 1947, and has for its principal object to provide a simplified structure to facilitate manufacture' and assembly of the respective parts.

In accomplishing this and other objects of the invention as hereinafter pointed out, I have provided a structure illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a corn popper embodying the features of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section through the popper.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the agitator parts shown in disassembled relation to better illustrate the construction thereof.

Referring more in detail to the drawing:

I designates a corn popper constructed in accordance with the present invention and includes a sauce pan-shaped vessel 2 having a handle 3 projecting from a side thereof. The vessel 2 has a substantially nat bottom 4 and an annular wall 5 terminating in an outset rim 6 encircling an inset seat 'I for seating and axially retaining a lid or cover 8.

The lid 8 preferably has a crowned top 9 having a rolled edge I engaging the seat 'I and inner face II of the pan rim. The lid is thus retained on the vessel and forms a mounting for the agitator mechanism I2 by which the salt and grease are mixed with the pop corn kernels and the kernels of corn are stirred and kept in agitation during popping as later described.

The agitator includes a wire-like shaft I3 adapted for rotary support in a bearing member I4 carried by the lid 8. The lower end of the shaft is provided with a bearing portion I 5 which seats on the bottom 4 under weight of the shaft and carries a laterally directed stirring arm I6. The bearing portion of the shaft and arm I6 is formed by bending the wire-like material in a slightly lateral direction as indicated at I'I and then in a substantially semi-circular reverse curve I 8 to bring a bottom contact portion I9 coaxial with the shaft. rI'he terminal of the reverse curve is carried above the contact portion I9 and curves as at 20 into the arm I6 whereby the arm sweeps in a plane slightly above the bottom 4 of the vessel (see Fig. 2).

The bearing member I4 is formed of a single part and has a cylindrical body portion 2| having a neck 22 at one end which is of reduced diameter to provide an annular shoulder 23 Avide a depending terminal 4| which seats upon the top 9 of the lid 8 when the neck 22 is passed through an axial opening 24 of the lid. The neck 22 has external threads 25 for a nut 26 that is turned thereon to cooperate with the shoulder 23 in clamping the lid therebetween for securing the bearing member rigidly to the lid. The cylindrical Ibody of the bearing member has an external annular groove 2l that is spaced above the lid and shoulder 23. The upper end of the cylindrical body 26 is preferably rounded in conformation with the dome-like top 9 of the lid 8. The bearing member has an axial bore 26 extending therethrough of suitable size t0 loosely and slideably journal the shaft since it is desirable that the shaft float freely in the bearing to avoid pressure on the bottom of the vessel and prevent wedging of kernels under the arm of the agitator, as well as to conform to any variation in the bottom of the vessel.

The bearing member also rotatably mounts a crank 36 by which the agitator shaft is rotated while allowing floating movement thereof. The crank includes a plate-like arm 3l formed as a die stamping with an offset 32 between the attaching end 33 and knob carrying end 34. The end 33 has a thickness to enter freely into the groove 2I and is provided with a notch 35 forming a semicircular face 36 and tines 3'! and 38 for engaging sides of the bearing member at t-he base of the groove 2l.

In order to connect the agitator shaft slidably with respect to the crank and to retain the crank on the bearing member, the upper end of the agitator shaft has a goose neck 40 to prowhich slides through an opening 42 in the crank arm as shown in Fig. 2. To limit sliding movement of the shaft and prevent withdrawal of the terminal 4I, the shaft is provided above and below the bearing member with stops 43 and 44 that may be formed by means of a staking operation.

The terminal end of the crank carries a knob 45 that is journalled thereon by means of a rivet 46 having a shank 41 extending loosely through an opening 48 in the arm and xed in a socket 49 of the knob 45.

In assembling' the agitator one end of the shaft, before bending, is passed through the bore 29 of the bearing member, for example, the end on which the goose neck 40 is to be formed. The goose neck is then shaped to provide the driving terminal 4I. The crank carrying the knob 45 is then applied t0 the bearing member by sliding the times 3'! and 38 into the groove 27 until the semi-circular face 36 of the notch seats against the bottom of the groove 2l whereupon the shaft is shifted in the bore of the bearing member to engage the terminal il in the opening 42 of the crank arm. The shaft is then staked to form the stops 43 and 44, the staking operations being applied at points on the shaft so that when the lid 3 is off of the vessel 2 the terminal 4l will not scar the crowned top 9 of the lid as the stop 63 engages the end 28 of the bearing member, and the terminal will be retained in the opening 42 of the crank arm when the stop 44 engages the threaded neck 22 regardless of Whether the lid is on or off they vessel.

The agitator assembly is mounted on the lid by passing the threaded neck 2,2 through the opening 2&3 and the nut 26 is applied to draw the shoulder 23 into engagement with the upper face of the lid or cover.

In using the popper, the kernels of corn are placed in the vessel and the lid carrying the agitator is placed overY the vessel with the bead thereof engaging the seat 1 within the embrace of the rim t. The crank is then rotated to agitate the corn during popping. It is obvious that the terminal 4l of the goose-neck forms a driving connection between the shaft and cr'ank and also retains the crank from sliding out of the groove 21 when the crank is turned about the bearing member. During turning of the crank the contact orv bearing point I9 of the agitator rests freely and rides smoothly without wear upon the pan bottom and the arm sweeps thereabove Without scraping or Wedging of the kernels.

Since the lid fits relatively tight, a side thereof Which is turned away from the handle 3 may be provided with vent openings 50V as shown in Fig. 1 for escape of any steam generated during a popping operation.

From the foregoing it is obvious that I have provided a simple and inexpensive structure that is readily assembled and which operates efficiently. The structure accomplishes the desired results with a minimum of parts andthe parts required are easily manufactured.

It isalso obvious that the agitator shaft and crank arm slide Within the bearing member I4 and that any movement thereof does not affect the pan covers retention on pan or movement of the crank. Finger pressure on handle knob is transmitted directly to the bearing member, and. from the bearing member directly to pan cover, in a retention capacity, and Adoes not reflect on the agitator. In othervvord's, there is nothing tending to displace the lid of the ves.- sel.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the character described, a bearing member having an axial bore and an external circumferential groove, a crank arm having one end freely engaged in the groove and adapted to be gyrated around said bearing, and a shaft extending through the bore of the bearing member and having a terminal slidably engaged with the crank arm for forming a driving connection between the crank arm and said shaft and for retaining the crank arm on the bearing. member.

2. In a device of the character described, a bearing member having an'axial bore and an external circumferential groove, a crank arm` having one end provided with a notchtopass the crank onto the bearing member and provide tines engaging opposite sides of the bearing member for forming a journal for the crank arm, a shaft slidably rotatable in said bore of the bearing member, and a goose-neck on the end of the shaft having a terminal parallel with the shaft and slidable within an opening in the crank arm for forming a driving connection between the shaft and crank and for retaining the crank arm on the bearing member.

3. In a device of the character described, a bearing member having an axial bore and an external circumferential groove, a crank arm having one end provided with a notch to pass the crank onto the bearing member and provide tines freely engaging opposite sides of the bearing member` for forming a journal for the crank arm, a shaft slidably rotatable in said bore of the bearing member, a goose-neck on the end of the shaft having a terminal parallel with the shaft and slidable Within an opening inY the crank arm for. forming a driving. connection between the shaft and crank and forA retaining the crank arm onthe bearing member, andl stops on the shaft at respectivev ends of the bearing member to limit movement ofsaid terminal in the crank arm.

4. Acorn popper comprising a vessel, a lid for the vessel having an axialV opening, a bearing member having a reduced externally threaded neck extending through said axial opening of the lid and providing a shoulder engaging' the lid, a nut on the threaded neck to cooperate with the shoulder for securing the bearing member to the lid, said bearing memberI having an axial bore and an external annular groove, a crank arm having one end freely engaged inthe groove and adapted to be turned around thebearing member, a shaft extending slidablythrough the bore of the bearing member and having a goose-neck terminal slidably engaged within an opening in the crank armv for forming a driving connection between the crank armand said shaft and for retaining the crank arm on the bearing member, and a stirring arm on the shaft/fand movable over the bottom of the vesselupon turning of the crank about the bearing member.

5. A corn pepper comprising ayvessel, a lid for the vessel having an axial opening, a bearing member having a reduced externally threaded neck extending through said axial opening and providing a shoulder engaging the lid, a nut on the threaded-neck to cooperate with the shoulder for securing the bearing member tothe lid,A said bearing ymember having an axialbore and an external annular groove, a crank arm having one end freely engaged in the groove andadapted to belturned around the bearing member, ashaft extendingslidably through the Vbore of the bearing member and-havng'a goose-neck terminal slidably engaged within an'opening infthe'crankV arm for forming a driving connection between the crank arm and-saidV shaft andlforfretaining ,the crank arm on the bearing member, a stirring arm on the shaft and movableA over the bottom ofthe vessel upon turning ofthe crank (about, the bearing. member, and a stop on the shaft adapted to engage said neck to retain the goose-neck trminal in driving connection With-thecrank arm and limit said sliding movement of the shaft:`

6. A corn pepper comprising a vessel,` alid'for the vessel having an axial opening, arbearing member, means for securing the bearing member rigidly to'` the lid in coaxial alignmentwith Vsaid opening, said bearing member having an axial bore and an external annular groove, a crank arm having one end freely engaged in the groove and adapted to be turned around the bearing member, a shaft extending slidably through the bore of the bearing member and having a gooseneck terminal slidably engaged within an opening in the crank arm for forming a driving connection between the crank arm and said shaft and for retaining the crank arm on the bearing member, and a stirring arm on the shaft and movable over the bottom of the vessel upon turning of the crank about the bearing member.

7. A corn popper comprising a vessel, a lid for the vessel having an axial opening, a bearing member, means for securing the bearing member to the lid, said bearing member having an axial bore and an external annular groove spaced from the lid, a crank arm having one end provided with a notch to pass the crank arm into engagement with the groove for free turning movement around the bearing member, a shaft extending 2O slidably through the bore of the bearing member and having a, goose-neck terminal slidably engaged within an opening in the crank arm for forming a driving connection between the crankv arm and said shaft and for retaining the crank i arm on the bearing member, a stirring arm on to retain the goose-neck terminal in driving con.

nection with the crank arm and limit said. sliding movement of the goose-neck terminal.

RALPH P. HUMPHREY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 733,763 Stevens July 14, 1903 1,177,977 Warner Apr. 4, 1916 2,120,718 Smith June 14, 1938 

